


The Destroyer Wars

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [54]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-18
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-09 07:16:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6895147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(March 2012) UNTIL now has all of Doctor Destroyer's technological treasures and knowledge in its possession.  Villains from far and wide would like to remedy that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Destroyer Wars

**Author's Note:**

> #### DRAMATIS PERSONAE
> 
> **heroes**
> 
>   * Theodore Jameson, Jr. (AKA Ranger), Director-General of UNTIL, disgustingly-powerful speedster
>   * Julie Dormyer Hawkins (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Senior Research Scientist for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Olivia d'Alembert (AKA Thelambra), supermodel, wife of Ted Jameson, Empyrean with psionic and luck-based telekinetic powers
>   * Jocelyn Sher, Project Engineer, Angelstone Labs (UNTIL Field Operations Division)
>   * Craig Nguyen (AKA Blink), leader of the New York City-area supergroup 'The Justice Squadron', teleporter/gadgeteer
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Klaus Sachs (AKA Panzer), power-armor wearer and neo-Nazi terrorist
>   * Francois Rochemont, former head of UNTIL's Project SHIVA
>   * Alejandro Medina (AKA Menton), disgustingly-powerful psionic
>   * Dr. Tara Lemick (AKA Lady Blue), power-armor wearer and social justice warrior
> 

> 
> **others**
> 
>   * Jillian Hawkins, youngest daughter of Bob and Julie, cyberkinetic
>   * Judith Sher (nee Shapiro), professor of Astronomy at Tel Aviv University, Jocelyn's mother
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE 1** : Telepathy is denoted by (( )), internal monologue by [[ ]]
> 
>  **AUTHOR'S NOTE 2** : The building containing Olivia d'Alembert's penthouse is located two blocks north of Columbus Circle, at the southwestern corner of Central Park
> 
>  **AUTHOR'S NOTE 3** : When you read Menton's lines, do so in Ricardo Montalban's voice. I do.
> 
> * * *

(15 Central Park West, New York City. Evening, a week after the end of 'The Prisoner of Dr. Destroyer' [about 3/8/2012])

/* suggested music: ['A Kiss Under the Moonlight'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgWpLy4rBtQ), by the Rippingtons */

(a taxi drives off, having just deposited Jocelyn Sher in front of the building. She enters and walks up to the doorman)

 **Doorman** : "Name?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Jocelyn Sher. I'm heading to Olivia d'Alembert's penthouse."

 **Doorman** (paging through the list on his monitor): "Okay, you're on the list." (points over his shoulder) "Elevators are that way."

 **Jocelyn** : "Thank you."

 ****([0: 16] she walks off and finds the elevators in very short order. One of them has open doors that have just started to close)

 **Jocelyn** (running toward the elevator): "HOLD THE ELEVATOR, PLEASE!"

(a hand reaches around from the near left-hand corner of the elevator car and stops the door. Jocelyn stumbles in breathlessly)

 **Jocelyn** : "Thank you!"

 ****([0: 33] she now has a chance to look at her benefactor. Or in this case, benefactors. The man is young-looking with dark hair and eyes, about two inches taller than her with a bemused smile on his face. He is in a very cozy embrace with a shapely woman with dark blonde hair, about half a foot shorter than him and also smiling at her)

 **Jocelyn** (embarrased): "I'm sorry. I can wait for another one..."

 **Woman** (sultry alto voice): "That's quite all right, dear. What floor?"

 **Jocelyn** (looking at the elevator panel): "Uh... you've already punched it."

 **Man** : "Well, that simplifies things then!"

(he punches the ELEVATOR CLOSE button, and they start moving up)

 **Woman** : "Do you live on that floor?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Uh, no. I'm... heading to a party."

 **Man** : "Oh! So are we."

 **Woman** : "Ted Jameson and Olivia d'Alembert?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Yes!"

 **Woman** : "We're heading there, too." (beat [around 0:51]) "I'm Julie Hawkins, and this is my husband Bob."

 **Starforce** (waves): "Hi."

 **Jocelyn** (mouth falling open): "Ladyhawk and Starforce? So I have the two of you to thank for my job security!"

(Bob and Julie exchange a look)

 **Starforce** (to Jocelyn): "Excuse me, but I seem to have missed a few steps in between..."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Jocelyn, nodding toward Bob): "An historic occasion. Usually, one of US is saying that to *him*."

 **Jocelyn** (laughing nervously): "I'm sorry. I'm Jocelyn Sher. I'm with Angelstone Labs, and we're handling the inventory and analysis of everything you recovered from Tartarus last week."

 **Ladyhawk** (shakes her hand): "Pleased to meet you, Jocelyn."

 **Starforce** (takes her hand next and kisses it): "My lady."

(Jocelyn giggles and blushes)

 **Ladyhawk** (laughing and hitting Bob): "Stop it!"

 **Starforce** (to Julie): "It's not like I'm flirting with my daughter! Come on, now..."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Jocelyn): "I thought UNTIL was going to let their Project SHIVA take care of the postmortem and analysis."

 **Jocelyn** : "We all did, too. Director-General Jameson fired Project SHIVA's head at the beginning of the week, disbanded the division, and found a way to have Angelstone take over their duties under the terms of our existing support contract with UNTIL."

 **Starforce** : "Ted fired Rochemont? Couldn't happen to a nicer man." (beat, acidly) "20 years too late."

 ****([1: 31] the elevator comes to a stop and the doors open. They get out into the entry gallery of the penthouse just as Olivia 'Thelambra' d'Alembert walks by)

 **Starforce** (absently, looking around): "Oh. I didn't realize the whole FLOOR was the penthouse..."

 **Thelambra** : "Bob, Julie? Ted would like a moment of your time in the study."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Which way?"

(Olivia points to a hallway behind them)

 **Starforce** : "Thank you."

(Bob and Julie head off toward the study)

 **Thelambra** (beat, to Jocelyn): "Ms. Sher? Welcome!"

 **Jocelyn** (looking around): "Wow!" (beat, gushing) "Thank you for inviting me, Ms. d'Alembert! I'm not sure what I did to attract this type of attention..."

 **Thelambra** : "Your work skills caught my husband's attention. He tells me you're one of the sharpest technical minds he has ever known."

 **Jocelyn** (nervously): "Okay." (beat, registers the existence of a piano in an adjacent room) "Do you mind? I play a bit."

 **Thelambra** (smiling): "Only if you can beat Robert to it."

* * *

(study, Olivia d'Alembert's penthouse. Five minutes later)

(Ted is sitting behind a desk. Bob is slouching in a chair rapidly scrolling over a document on an iPad. Julie is reading another iPad more slowly)

(Bob sits up and puts his iPad down. He's not happy)

 **Ranger** : "Well?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "WHAT the HELL, Ted?"

 **Ranger** : "A week's worth of work by my staff went into that ops plan."

 **Starforce** : "Amchitka had a better plan, and IT was a complete Charlie-Foxtrot! UNTIL can't *possibly* be serious about using recovered Destroyertech to bait a trap!"

 **Ranger** : "You know I like being proactive about eliminating threats..."

 **Starforce** : "I might have been able to buy off on this when Project SHIVA was still active. You've now outsourced its *entire* job to Angelstone Labs." (beat, angry) "CONTRACTORS, Ted, *not* UNTIL agents!"

 **Ranger** : "What are you going to do different, Bob? Take the inventory back by force?"

 **Starforce** (through gritted teeth): "Don't tempt me..."

 **Ladyhawk** (interrupting): "I have to agree with Bob. This is foolhardy, Ted."

 **Ranger** : "Et tu, Julie?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "In addition to what Nerd-boy pointed out, you have *zero* involvement with the local superhero community to let them know what's going on in advance." (beat) "This operation will NOT end well, both for UNTIL and a *lot* of innocent people."

 **Ranger** : "Well, if you can come up with a better idea before noon tomorrow, call me. We go live with the press conference then."

 **Starforce** (facepalms): "Unnngh..."

 **Ladyhawk** (sighs): "I think we're through here."

(Bob and Julie both get up and excuse themselves without further acknowledgement. They wander through the penthouse until they end up by the piano, which Jocelyn is playing energetically)

 **Starforce** : "One week. That's ALL it took for him to take complete leave of his senses after taking this job!" (beat) "He was NEVER this bad when he ran PRIMUS."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I think we'll need to be on standby to keep things from getting any worse here."

 **Starforce** (taking his smartphone out of his pocket): "To do that, we'll need access to Angelstone's computer network 24/7, so we're aware of threats the moment they are."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Call Jillian and get it set up right now."

(Bob nods, leaves Julie's side, and walks for the nearest balcony door, calling up a specific contact as he does so)

 **Starforce** (voice fading as he walks out onto the balcony): "Yeah, Jillian? This is Dad. Hey, I need you to..."

* * *

(Olivia d'Alembert's penthouse, two hours later.)

(Jocelyn gets up from the piano, exhausted but smiling, as the partygoers applaud)

 **Starforce** : "Aw, c'mon! You're great!"

 **Jocelyn** : "No, please! I need to rest..."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Bob): "You could take over for her."

 **Starforce** : "I'm not in the entertainment mood tonight. Sometimes, it's nice just being the audience."

 **Jocelyn** (to Julie, tentatively): "Uh, Mrs. Hawkins?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Please, dear. Call me Julie."

 **Jocelyn** (beat, then rushed): "I need to borrow your husband for a moment. I have a scientific question I need to ask him."

(Bob and Julie look at each other, then Bob shrugs his shoulders)

 **Ladyhawk** : "As long as it doesn't compromise current ProStar business interests, I don't see a problem."

 **Starforce** (glancing outside the penthouse): "The east balcony looks free, if you don't mind it being a little brisk."

 **Jocelyn** (smiling tentatively): "I think I can manage."

(Bob leads Jocelyn over to the nearest door and opens it for her. They wander over to the northeastern corner, overlooking the lights of Central Park)

 **Jocelyn** : "This is colder than I'm used to."

 **Starforce** : "New York City is milder in winter than where I grew up."

 **Jocelyn** : "Where did you grow up?"

 **Starforce** : "Indianapolis. Don't ask me for advice on where to go if you ever do, because my knowledge is useful only to time travelers anymore."

 **Jocelyn** (chuckling): "Actually, my question concerns genetics."

 **Starforce** : "Not a specialty of mine. Sorry."

 **Jocelyn** (insistent): "A very *specific* genotype."

(beat)

 **Starforce** : "The Zerstoiten genotype, right?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Right."

 **Starforce** : "That I *can* help you out with, to my eternal shame." (beat) "What would you like to know?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Common dominant traits."

 **Starforce** : "Okay, then. All known descendents of Albert Zerstoiten have certain mental traits. High natural mental defenses, raw intelligence at the extreme upper end of human capabilities, excellent memory, an ability to do math in their head bordering on the idiot-savant..."

 **Jocelyn** : "All known descendents? Plural?"

 **Starforce** : "Albert Zerstoiten had two known children, both illegitimate, both male. You're talking with one of them."

 **Jocelyn** (puzzled): "I knew *that* already. Who's the other one?"

 **Starforce** (quizzically): "Hm. I thought Sergei's parentage wasn't THAT well kept of a secret..."

 **Jocelyn** : "Sergei?"

 **Starforce** : "We exchange Christmas cards every year when he isn't attempting to steal my research."

 **Jocelyn** : "Oh." (beat) "Sergei Varinnikov?"

 **Starforce** (impressed): "Very GOOD!"

 **Jocelyn** : "The President-for-life of Central Asia is your brother? Wow..."

 **Starforce** (deadpan): "The more I discover about my true heritage the less I'm impressed by it."

(Jocelyn snorts in humor and smiles. They both stare out over Central Park)

 **Jocelyn** : "You realize you just described a lot of what I can do, don't you?"

 **Starforce** : "That's interesting." (beat) "And that explains your interest in the Zerstoiten genotype, I take it?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Most of it."

 **Starforce** : "Go on."

 **Jocelyn** : "Do you know how awkward it is when you discover you were born only 7 months after your parents got married?"

 **Starforce** : "Actually, I do."

 **Jocelyn** (beat): "Oh, yeah. Right..."

 **Starforce** : "You ran a genetic test, correct?"

 **Jocelyn** : "A commercially-available one that I could afford. What databases I could access to compare my results revealed my father was Albert Zerstoiten or one of his descendents."

 **Starforce** : "Well, that gives me something to hassle Sergei over next Christmas."

(Jocelyn REALLY looks familiar to Bob for some reason...)

 **Starforce** (continuing): "You know, I could SWEAR I've met you before."

 **Jocelyn** : "Have you ever been to Israel?"

 **Starforce** : "Only once, but that was back in 1990..." (beat, slowly) "What was your mother like?"

 **Jocelyn** : "She's an astronomy professor at Tel Aviv University. She could quote Tolkien at the drop of a hat, which I still find annoying and embarrasing to this day."

(Bob's eyes widen. THAT'S why Jocelyn looked so familiar)

 **Starforce** : "Your mother was Judith Shapiro!"

 **Jocelyn** : "How did you know?"

 **Starforce** (intensely): "When were you born?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Uh, February of 1991."

 **Starforce** (murmured): "And if conception was in May of 1990..."

(you don't need the Lightning Calculator talent to figure out that's nine months, but it doesn't hurt. Now Bob's jaw drops in shock)

 **Jocelyn** : "Dr. Hawkins?"

 **Starforce** (horror-stricken): "Oh my God! Jocelyn, I am so, *so* sorry..."

 **Jocelyn** : "What are you going on about?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "I'm your father."

* * *

(balcony, Olivia d'Alembert's penthouse, Manhattan. One second later)

(now Jocelyn's mouth is hanging open in shock)

 **Starforce** : "Your mother and I first met when I was receiving the Wolf Prize in Physics May of 1990. We, uh, celebrated down at Eilat afterwards."

 **Jocelyn** : "Then what happened?"

 **Starforce** : "We were attacked by Mechanon at your mother's observatory in the Negev. Dr. Destroyer saved us, took us back to Texas, and we all stopped Mechanon from diverting an Apollo-group asteroid into colliding with the Earth." (beat) "Ultimately, she couldn't handle the fact that I was also a superhero and broke up with me." /* 'Extinction Event' */

 **Jocelyn** : "And you NEVER thought to follow up?"

 **Starforce** : "I was pretty devastated by the break-up at the time." (beat) "I got on with my life afterwards."

(Julie strolls out onto the balcony. Bob sees her and motions her to come over)

 **Jocelyn** : "Are you *sure* that's wise?"

 **Starforce** : "Our marriage hasn't survived two decades by keeping things from each other."

 **Ladyhawk** (slipping an arm around Bob): "Honey, what's wrong?"

 **Starforce** : "Do you remember the Israeli astronomer I briefly dated before we got over our issues with each other?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yes..."

 **Starforce** (gulps nervously): "Jocelyn is my daughter from that relationship."

(awkward pause. Julie looks at Bob, then at Jocelyn)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Oh." (beat) "And how long have you known about this?"

 **Starforce** (anguished expression): "I just found out less than a minute ago."

(tense pause. Julie is good enough at reading her husband that she knows he's telling the truth. She also has enough of a read on Jocelyn to tell she is just as shocked as he is)

 **Ladyhawk** : "And you think something you did before *we* even DATED is going to destroy our marriage?"

 **Starforce** : "Well, uh..."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Jocelyn, pointing at Bob): "Happily married for 20 years, and he's STILL clueless about women sometimes!"

(she embraces Bob and gives him a lingering kiss)

 **Ladyhawk** (continuing to Jocelyn): "Except for the Hobbit fixation, your mother wasn't Bob's type. All I remember of her is disarming a fake bomb Destroyer had handcuffed to her, her screaming in terror every time I flew Destroyer's spaceplane..."

 **Starforce** (muttered, interrupting): "Because Julie only flew it vertically."

 **Ladyhawk** (beat): "...or otherwise cowering in back as we tried to divert the asteroid."

 **Starforce** : "Judith wasn't totally useless. She computed the acceleration vector we used to make it miss Earth."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Bob): "The point being, *you* never realized you needed a woman in your life who was action-oriented until you had met her and she wasn't."

 **Starforce** (hugging Julie): "True."

 **Jocelyn** : "Mom's never told me ANYTHING about what you've just told me!"

 **Starforce** (gently): "Jocelyn, what part of the phrase 'couldn't handle the fact I was also a superhero' did you *not* understand a moment ago?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "The vast majority of people would have reacted exactly like your mother did that day and afterwards." (beat) "C'mon guys, it's cold out here. Let's go inside."

(Bob and Julie start to leave the balcony. Jocelyn stays, uncertain and frightened)

 **Ladyhawk** (stopping, looking at Jocelyn and smiling while motioning): "You too, dear."

 **Jocelyn** : "I..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Bob's your father. You're part of *our* family now."

(beat, then Jocelyn joins them. Julie suddenly grins wickedly)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Bob): "For the record, Nerd-boy? You WERE flirting with your daughter in the elevator."

 **Starforce** (wincing): "SO hoping you forgot I said that."

* * *

(Angelstone Labs College Point Facility, Queens, NYC. Mid-afternoon, two days later)

(Jocelyn walks toward the Secure Vault, holding an iPad)

 **Random co-worker** : "Hey, Joc!"

 **Jocelyn** : "Frankie!"

 **Frankie** : "Got any plans after work?"

 **Jocelyn** : "That depends."

 **Frankie** : "A bunch of us were going to The Point after work. You know, drown our sorrows because our customer decided to paint a great big target circle on all of us?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Define 'bunch'."

(they laugh)

 **Frankie** : "The usual suspects. Kylie, Taylor, Sam, and Bobby."

 **Jocelyn** : "When?"

 **Frankie** : "About 4."

 **Jocelyn** : "Come by my lab bench. See if I'm busy then."

 **Frankie** : "Okay! See you..."

 **Jocelyn** : "Later."

(she smiles and hums as she finally reaches the Secure Vault. She swipes her access card, keys in her passcode, then waits)

(just as the door to the Secure Vault swings open, there is an explosion at the far end of the lab. Screams mix with blaster fire as a person in a suit of armor adorned with swastikas strides in through the jagged hole which has now replaced the far wall. Alarms sound)

 **Jocelyn** (internal monologue): [[lockdown protocol! Get in the damn vault, Jocelyn, before the door shuts!]]

(Jocelyn backpedals into the Secure Vault. Thinking quickly, she snaps a picture of the villain with her iPad before the vault door closes again. She swipes some more controls on the screen)

 **Jocelyn** (internal monologue): [[okay, let's see who the threat database says is attacking...]]

(her iPad beeps, and multiple windows open displaying information on the villain)

 **Jocelyn** (internal monologue): [[aw CRAP. Panzer! Neo-nazi power-armor wearer, active since the late 1980s, rumored ties with Eurostar]] (beat) [[I bet he came over here for an equipment upgrade, thanks to that press conference yesterday. WHAT was UNTIL THINKING?]]

(she looks desperately around her)

 **Jocelyn** (muttering): "Think, think, THINK! Can I rig something?"

(explosions and blaster fire, though muffled, begin to get louder outside the Secure Vault. She looks at the three suits on mannequins off to the side)

 **Jocelyn** (internal monologue): [[okay, no time to jury-rig. Could I wear one of the suits?]]

(as she looks at a duplicate of Destroyer's battlesuit from 'Leap Day', a pinkish-white swirl of light forms behind her, drawing her attention)

 **Jocelyn** (backing away): "What the..."

(Starforce and Ladyhawk come through the distortion in full kit)

 **Starforce** : "Jocelyn? What are YOU doing in here?"

 **Jocelyn** : "I could ask you the same thing! This vault is proof against ANY form of teleportation..."

 **Starforce** : "I've seen the specs. It's only proof against quantum-displacement teleportation..."

 **Ladyhawk** (interrupting): "Guys, FOCUS! Jocelyn, what are we looking at outside?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Panzer's heading toward this vault. He'll be here any second."

 **Starforce** (in a tone of voice suggesting he got worked up for nothing): "Panzer?"

 **Ladyhawk** (muttering): "I needn't have bothered suiting up." (beat, to Starforce) "If I take him, there'll be more of him left to arrest..."

 **Starforce** (interrupting, shaking his head): "I got this." (to Jocelyn) "Make yourself comfortable. If Destroyer built a popcorn-maker, you might want to find it and make some for yourself."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Nerd-boy? My Danger Sense..."

 **Starforce** (forcefield rippling as he reallocates it): "Stand back. This could get messy."

(with a wrenching shriek of metal, the door to the Secure Vault is ripped off its moorings and tossed to one side. Panzer starts to stride in, then freezes in shock as he registers who is in front of him)

 **Panzer** : "Was?" /* What? */

 **Starforce** (firing 120 STR TK Martial Strike): "Bye."

(Panzer takes 69 STUN after defenses. The 18 meters of knockback shatters what remains of the far wall, inflicting another 17 STUN. At -50 STUN now, he's just been knocked into next week)

(Starforce flash-steps outside and hovers over Panzer's body long enough to shred the armor off his body telekinetically while Ladyhawk and Jocelyn run out of the Secure Vault)

 **Starforce** (after Panzer has been thoroughly disarmed): "I HATE Illinois Nazis."

(Ladyhawk and Jocelyn come to a stop next to him, looking at Panzer's unconscious form)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Starforce): "Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?"

* * *

(Angelstone Labs College Point Facility. 15 minutes later)

(Craig 'Blink' Nguyen of the Justice Squadron walks up to Bob and Julie as the ambulance bearing Panzer drives off. He's not happy)

 **Blink** : "Could either one of you explain to me why Dallas-area superheroes are involved in a situation in New York?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "Yes."

(no further answer is forthcoming)

 **Blink** (to Starforce while facepalming): "You just gave me a Mathematician's Answer, didn't you?"

 **Starforce** : "Got it in one."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Is there a problem with our presence here, Craig?"

 **Blink** : "Yes, there is!"

(tense pause)

 **Starforce** : "If you're upset we did something in your turf that you should have been doing, we are genuinely sorry..."

 **Blink** (interrupting): "It's not just that! It's how you did it as well!" (beat) "This isn't Texas, guys. This is New York City."

 **Ladyhawk** : "You'd have less of a problem with supervillains if you started treating your city like it *was* Texas."

 **Blink** : "Just so you two know, Dr. Hawkins *could* be in serious legal trouble for the amount of force he used to defeat Panzer."

 **Starforce** : "Excuse me? Dude *killed* a scientist and wounded two more before we showed up! How many more innocents do you think would have been added to those totals if I HADN'T one-shotted him?"

 **Blink** : "Which leads me to another question. HOW did you know the attack was in progress and respond so quickly?"

(unbeknownst to Blink, Ted has just arrived with a squad of UNTIL agents. He walks up behind Blink)

 **Ranger** : "Good afternoon, people."

 **Blink** (turning around in shock): "Director-General!"

 **Ranger** : "What seems to be the problem?"

 **Blink** : "I was wondering why you had Dallas-area superheroes responding to a situation in New York City."

(tense pause)

 **Ranger** : "The Dallas-area superheroes in question were responsible for recovering Dr. Destroyer's tech stockpile. They had a vested interest in making sure it *remained* in UNTIL hands."

 **Blink** : "Don't you think the Justice Squadron or the Sentinels could have done that job just as well?"

 **Ranger** : "Would you have been willing to have Angelstone Labs' internal network tapped so you would know when an attack was taking place?"

 **Blink** (beat): "Sir, that is SO illegal without a warrant! You know we couldn't have done that without a DAMN good reason..."

(Julie has been on the periphery of the conversation between Ted and Blink. Her temporal visualization powers are telling her that it *might* be a good idea to intervene right now)

 **Ladyhawk** (motioning to Ted): "Director-General Jameson? A moment?"

(she takes Ted off to one side)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Boss, you have a considerable reservoir of good will built up among the superheroic community nationwide for all you've done with TASK FORCE and PRIMUS over the years."

 **Ranger** : "Your point?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "You've just *lost* some of that good will with the local community here in New York with the events of this afternoon. You should have trusted THEM with the job of protecting Destroyer's stash at Angelstone. You ALSO should have told them that you intended to use the stash as bait for a supervillain honey-trap."

(awkward pause)

 **Ranger** (sighs): "You're right. I should have."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Good." (patting him on the shoulder) "Now go patch things up with Craig. And get it right this time."

 **Ranger** (beat): "I can't believe how you've grown as a leader over 30 years."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I had a good teacher."

(Ted smiles and walks off to talk to Blink. Starforce replaces him by her side)

 **Starforce** (murmured): "Anything strike you as *odd* about Ted in the last few minutes?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "You're onto something, Nerd-boy. Spit it out."

 **Starforce** : "He assumed we were going to BE here."

 **Ladyhawk** : "He could be trying to cover for us..."

 **Starforce** : "And he KNEW we had Angelstone's network hacked."

 **Ladyhawk** (beat): "That could be one of two things. After 30 years, he knows how we think. Or, his cyber warfare people caught us in the act."

 **Starforce** : "UNTIL's Cyber Warfare Unit versus Jillian? Please..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Good point." (beat, makes Deduction roll) "So you think he manipulated us into protecting UNTIL from the consequences of his staff's own bad plan?"

 **Starforce** : "Pretty much."

(awkward pause)

 **Ladyhawk** (shaking her head in disgust): "This just keeps getting better and better."

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II, Lakewood Village, TX. Three nights later)

(laughter comes from the Breakfast Nook as Julie attempts to teach Laura and James the intricacies of Poker. Bob and Jillian are in the Dining Room, staring at a holographic playback of a battle between a Varanyi Star Galleon and a smaller, sleeker-looking ship)

 **House AI** : "Sir, there is an incoming call. It is Jocelyn Sher."

 **Jillian** (to the air): "Pause playback."

 **Starforce** (to Jillian): "At least it isn't Ferris complaining about where Nathan took Jackie tonight."

 **Jillian** (eyebrows raised): "So I finally get to meet Jocelyn..."

 **Starforce** (to the air): "Accept call."

(an extra window opens up in the holodisplay, and we see Jocelyn leaning toward the webcam of her computer)

 **Jocelyn** : "Hi, Dr. Hawkins! Are you busy right now?"

 **Starforce** : "Not at the moment, no. Jillian just got done kicking my ass."

 **Jocelyn** : "Doing... what?"

 **Jillian** (leaning over): "Dad's trying to design a starship that can go toe-to-toe with a Varanyi Star Galleon. I'm running the Star Galleon in simulated combat against him."

 **Jocelyn** : "How's it going?"

 **Starforce** : "Not good."

 **Jillian** (to Bob): "Speak for yourself." (to Jocelyn) "For me, it's going great. Dad keeps losing because he won't follow *my* design advice for his starship."

 **Jocelyn** : "What would that be?"

 **Jillian** : "Put everything into engines and run like hell."

(Bob facepalms while Jocelyn laughs)

 **Jillian** (continuing): "Seriously, there's a reason the Star Galleon is one of the most feared spacecraft in the Galaxy!"

 **Jocelyn** : "You sound like a gamer!"

 **Jillian** : "I *am* a gamer. I've also been a consulting designer on some recent titles."

 **Jocelyn** (leaning back and folding her arms): "Okay, impress me. Give me a title you've worked on."

 **Jillian** : " _Call of Duty: Caped Crusaders_."

 **Jocelyn** : "NO WAY! I LOVE that mod!"

 **Jillian** : "You played Dad, didn't you?"

 **Jocelyn** : "I actually liked playing Ladyhawk." (beat) "I could never play her at extreme difficulty level. Is there a trick I'm missing?"

 **Jillian** : "At extreme difficulty, you're using Mom's stats and equipment load-out from 1982, when she first became a superhero. You have to infiltrate and attack from surprise. Also, set your teammates up with flash-bangs and your other exploding gas pellets before using shuriken."

(Bob subtly clears his throat)

 **Jocelyn** : "Hey, we have to try some networked gameplay sometime! You need my contact info?"

 **Jillian** : "Nah, I can get that from the server logs. Dad hasn't found all my backdoors yet."

 **Starforce** (acidly): "At least I now know why she's never asked for Admin privileges."

 **Jillian** (getting up from the table and waves at Jocelyn's window): "Bye." (to Bob, before leaving the Dining Room) "I like her."

 **Starforce** (beat, to Jocelyn): "Welcome to my world."

(Jocelyn giggles)

 **Starforce** : "How are you doing?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Doing OK. I wish I wasn't working in a target circle like I seem to be recently."

 **Starforce** : "There was another attack on your facility?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Today's contestant was Baron Nihil and his Gewittegard. He kept ranting about how since Dr. Destroyer had gotten his start working for him those technical secrets were rightfully his." (beat) "He was making that up, wasn't he?"

 **Starforce** : "Sadly, no. Albert Zerstoiten worked for him back in World War II, back when Baron Nihil was simply Colonel von Niehl and in charge of the Der Riese research complex."

 **Jocelyn** : "What happened?"

 **Starforce** : "Some idiot in a forcefield-based battlesuit attempted to blow his head off while transiting a temporal wormhole." /* 'Greatest Generation' */

 **Jocelyn** (beat): "Oh."

 **Starforce** : "Nihil didn't get anything, did he?"

 **Jocelyn** : "The Justice Squadron fought him off. Nothing gone, no casualties."

 **Starforce** : "Good." (beat) "What do you need?"

 **Jocelyn** : "I've been working up a design for something on my own time, and I need some help."

 **Starforce** : "Could you be more specific?"

 **Jocelyn** (typing at her keyboard): "I was having trouble with... THIS."

(another window opens up in the holodisplay with a complex, matrixed equation)

 **Starforce** (instantly): "That's a digital biomechanical gain function for powered armor."

(awkward pause)

 **Jocelyn** : "You're disappointed that I'm thinking about building my own suit, aren't you?"

 **Starforce** : "No, I'm disappointed that you're attempting digital feedback to control it. I have this argument with Tetsuronin every August."

 **Jocelyn** : "But digital feedback is easier to process."

 **Starforce** : "Jocelyn, the human body is basically an analog machine. The trick to augmenting it properly in real time is to use *holographic* processing, not digital."

 **Jocelyn** : "That would commit me to exclusively use forcefields, wouldn't it?"

 **Starforce** : "Look at Destroyer's later armor designs, since you now have daily access to them. I'm betting that he integrated forcefield augmentation with nanomachines."

 **Jocelyn** : "Are you sure of that?"

 **Starforce** : "It's what I did with the Mark VII." (beat, smiles) "If your father and grandfather can do it, so can you."

 **Jocelyn** : "Okay, then. I'll need a reference book on holographic computing if I go that way with my design."

 **Starforce** : " _Fundamentals of Holographic Processing_. Get the latest edition you can find. You may recognize the name of one of the authors."

 **Jocelyn** : "Is that the textbook you wrote in Middle School?"

 **Starforce** : "I was in High School. Honestly, I don't know how some of these crazy rumors get started."

 **Jocelyn** (laughing): "Thanks. Good night."

 **Starforce** (smiling): "Good night, Jocelyn."

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor, Lakewood Village, TX. Evening of 3/17/2012)

(Bob is on the piano playing a flowing and rippling arrangement of the Irish air 'The Gentle Maiden'.)

 **House AI** : "Incoming phone call. Ted Jameson, from Manhattan."

 **Starforce** (stopping in mid-phrase): "That can't be good."

 **Ladyhawk** (from a couch in the Great Room, Danger Sense pulsing): "It isn't."

(Bob joins Julie on the couch)

 **Starforce** (to air): "Accept call."

(the big-screen TV turns on. Ted looks at them)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Please tell us UNTIL didn't screw up. Lie to us if you have to."

 **Ranger** (too quickly): "We didn't."

 **Starforce** (beat, sighs): "What happened?"

 **Ranger** : "Remember when I fired Francois Rochemont at the beginning of the month and dissolved Project SHIVA for cause?"

 **Starforce** : "Well, he *did* sort of deserve it for what he did to me and my family for the past two decades..."

 **Ranger** : "He didn't take what I did to him too well."

(awkward pause)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Ted, what did he steal?"

 **Ranger** : "The high-powered set of armor you recovered from Tartarus. The one code named 'War Armor'."

(shocked pause)

 **Starforce** : "How?"

 **Ranger** : "Angelstone Labs had a come-to-Jesus meeting with us yesterday about Operation Honey Pot, and refused to do any more analysis of Destroyertech unless UNTIL provided the secure facility. We were moving the inventory to UNTIL HQ this afternoon, and Rochemont took advantage of the situation." (beat) "Rather subtly and skillfully, if I might say."

(awkward pause. Bob facepalms)

 **Ladyhawk** : "After watching UNTIL in operation this past month, I can't BELIEVE Obama disbanded PRIMUS in favor of them."

 **Starforce** : "I don't suppose UNTIL happens to know where he TOOK the War Armor?"

 **Ranger** : "Not yet."

 **Starforce** (muttered): "One could hope."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Is there any chance he could be coming after Bob?"

 **Ranger** : "Rochemont was obsessive about Albert Zerstoiten because he killed his father. That obsession transferred WAY too readily to Zerstoiten's known children. I'd say it's not a matter of IF he attacks Bob, but WHEN."

 **Ladyhawk** (muttered): "Great."

 **Starforce** (acidly): "Anything else we shouldn't know, Ted?"

 **Ranger** : "If there is, we'll let you know."

 **Starforce** (to air, rolling eyes disgustedly): "End call."

(Bob falls back against the couch. Pause, then Bob and Julie look at each other)

 **Starforce** : "It's not too late to go to Necker Island and not tell anyone, is it?"

* * *

(Director-General's Office, HQ UNTIL, Manhattan. Afternoon, 3/23/2012. Rain splatters across the windows)

(Ted strides back into his office and hangs his coat back up on the coat rack)

 **Ranger** (internal monologue): [[eventually, I'm going to find a good Chinese restaurant in close proximity]] (sitting down at his desk) [[maybe I could have Bob abuse his portal generator to provide me take-out from Asia Palace back in Plano]]

(the phone rings. Ted recognizes the number as the one for UNTIL's North American Operations Desk. He punches speakerphone)

 **Ranger** : "Yes?"

 **Phone** : "Sir, we have a possible hit on Doctor Destroyer's War Armor, active and moving. Probability is point seven seven zero, with multiple confirmation on both DFW regional air traffic control and USDoD sensor networks."

 **Ranger** : "Location?"

 **Phone** : "North Texas. Collin County, west-northwest of McKinney, moving southwest at approximately 900 kph."

 **Ranger** : "Target?"

 **Phone** : "Descent profile suggests somewhere in proximity to Little Elm, north of Dallas."

 **Ranger** (internal monologue): [[Little Elm is next to Lakewood Village... Oh, SHIT!]] (vocally) "Keep a running target track, I have a phone call to make."

(he hangs up his desk phone, grabs his smartphone, and punches the preset for Bob Hawkins)

 **Ranger** (internal monologue): [[I hope I'm not too late...]]

(the phone rings, then picks up)

 **Starforce** (sounding REALLY stressed): "Let me guess. You're about to tell me Rochemont's headed for DFW in the War Armor to kill me!"

 **Ranger** : "Wait... HOW did you know THAT?"

(the sound of a violent impact followed by alarm buzzers comes over the phone)

 **Starforce** : "Because right now, he's a quarter-mile above Dormyer Manor KICKING MY ASS!!"

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II, half an hour later)

(The portal is already on and swirling pinkish-white. Ted and Jocelyn step through. Ladyhawk is waiting for them)

 **House AI** : "Port successful. Initiating shutdown."

(the swirl collapses and fades. Ladyhawk raises an eyebrow)

 **Ranger** (to Ladyhawk): "I needed a technical expert. You didn't tell me how bad Bob was hurt."

 **Ladyhawk** : "He's been hurt worse. Right now, he's angry more than anything."

 **Jocelyn** : "A theta-boson generator? How long have you had that?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "10 years."

 **Ranger** : "It was very helpful in our pursuit of both Doctors Destroyer."

(Ted stops and puts his hands on Jocelyn's shoulders)

 **Ranger** (deadly serious): "Listen to me *very* carefully, Ms. Sher. You DID NOT see a theta-boson generator just now. You are NOT currently 20 miles north of Dallas. If anyone asks, we have been in my office dissecting and analyzing Rochemont's attack."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Jocelyn, also deadly serious): "You also may hear the phrase 'Destreum-Killer' used during your visit. If you do, you *will* forget that you ever heard it when we return you to the Director-General's office. If anyone asks, there is NO known technique for the disintegration of either Destreum or Destreum-based composites."

 **Jocelyn** (gulping nervously, small voice): "Understood."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Okay, then."

(they enter a lab set up as an infirmary. Bob is already there, shirt off, with a compress around his ribcage)

 **Starforce** (holding a flash drive up): "The good news, Jocelyn, is that I got some really good field data on the performance of Destroyer's War Armor for you."

 **Jocelyn** (takes flash drive): "You're going to be all right, aren't you?"

 **Starforce** : "I'm healing." (beat) "Unless I'm arranging the circumstances of the encounter, I hope I *never* face that armor again!"

 **Ranger** (to Bob and Julie): "So what can you both tell us about the fight?"

 **Starforce** (to Ted): "Before we do that, I need to ask you two questions concerning the Pyramid of the Sun last month."

 **Ranger** (confused): "Okay..."

 **Starforce** (holds one finger up): "How much video does UNTIL have of the battle? Specifically from the point after Shadow Destroyer fell into his own Qliphotic Rift?"

 **Ranger** : "We have several different angles of the endgame."

 **Starforce** (holds two fingers up): "Did Rochemont see them?"

 **Ranger** : "Yes."

 **Starforce** : "So, he saw Julie attach something to Doctor Destroyer, then saw Destroyer triggering an emergency bail-out from his disintegrating armor 34 seconds later." (beat, to Jocelyn) "If *you* had seen that specific sequence of events free from any other context, what would you think had happened?"

 **Jocelyn** : "I'd think that you had some sort of weapon specifically tuned or targeted to attack Destreum."

 **Ranger** (eyes widening in horror): "Oh my God! Rochemont knows the secret of the Destreum-Killer!"

 **Starforce** : "Relax, Ted, it's not that bad. He knows that we've got something that will kill his armor. What he DOESN'T know is the mechanism." (beat, looks at Julie) "More importantly, it means I don't have to be angry at you for what happened half an hour ago. He was *anticipating* our finishing move."

 **Ranger** : "What DID happen?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "The house AI monitored the air traffic control alerts as he was incoming. We barely had enough warning to suit up."

 **Starforce** : "I met him in the air, and he beat me up pretty bad."

 **Jocelyn** : "Is the War Armor *that* powerful?"

 **Starforce** : "He has so many different types of attacks he can throw simultaneously that I couldn't configure my forcefield to block them all." (beat) "Only Doctor Destroyer's ever been able to do that to me."

 **Ranger** : "Then what happened?"

 **Starforce** : "Julie was outside by that time, so I lured him inside the Manor's interdiction field and then EMP'ed his Life Support."

 **Ranger** : "Bob, that would have killed him!"

 **Starforce** : "I figured either he'd bail out before that happened or Julie would nail him with a Destreum-Killer."

 **Ladyhawk** : "We went for plan B. Bob tried to keep him on the ground so I'd have a clear shot."

 **Starforce** : "Unfortunately, Rochemont wasn't so busy suffocating to not notice Ladyhawk wind up for a shuriken throw."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Right when I released, he threw Bob into the way to use him as a shield."

 **Jocelyn** (shocked): "Good lord!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Rochemont then flew clear of the interdiction field and teleported out while Bob was trying to bail out of HIS armor."

 **Ranger** : "Damn." (beat, to Bob) "How long are you going to be down?"

 **Starforce** : "I have spare parts. Give me a week."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Ted): "Please don't throw any more crises at us until then, OK?"

* * *

(UNTIL Secure Vault Complex, Manhattan. Early morning)

(the elevator doors open, revealing Jocelyn coming into work early)

 **Jocelyn** (singing softly ['Defying Gravity' from _Wicked_ ]): "Something has changed within me, Something is not the same..."

(she starts walking down the hall toward her vault, a bounce to her step)

 **Jocelyn** (singing softly): "I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game..."

(the only other person who seems to be in at the moment appears to be a janitor)

 **Jocelyn** (internal monologue): [[odd. I thought the janitors here worked at night]]

 **Voice** : ((you are right, Ms. Sher))

(the janitor turns around. In the blink of an eye, he becomes a man in an impeccably-pressed gray pinstripe business suit with dark hair and smouldering eyes. Jocelyn is suddenly paralyzed)

 **Man** (smooth, cultured rumble with a Spanish accent): "Fortunately for myself, I am no janitor."

(the man slowly walks toward Jocelyn as she strains to move)

 **Man** : "You need not waste energy struggling, Ms. Sher. Your mind, though possessed of formidable natural defenses, is *quite* incapable of fighting mine."

(the man's casual stroll has finally brought him next to Jocelyn)

 **Man** (indicating the door next to them): "This is your lab, no?" (beat) "In simpler times, all I would need to do would have been to lift the door combination from your mind, take what I came for, wipe your brain of the memories of my visit, and no one will have been the wiser."

(tense pause. The man looks at the door)

 **Man** : "Sadly, times that require biometric locks on vault doors can no longer be considered... 'simple'."

 **Jocelyn** (struggling even to speak): "Who... are... you?"

 **Man** (smiling): "My apologies for my lack of manners, Ms. Sher. You may call me, 'Menton'."

(Jocelyn's eyes widen in fear)

 **Menton** : "Ah, you HAVE heard of me!" (leans forward) "Do you feel my power around your brain, Ms. Sher?"

(Jocelyn nods)

 **Menton** : "Good. In a moment, I will release your physical body from its paralysis. Your continued existence will be entirely dependent upon your good behavior -- or lack of it thereof. Do you understand me?"

(Jocelyn nods)

 **Menton** : "Excellent."

(Jocelyn's body lurches as Menton releases her from paralysis)

 **Menton** : "Open the door."

(Jocelyn does so. She enters her vault, with Menton following right behind her)

 **Menton** : "Now, Ms. Sher, perhaps there is a battlesuit you could recommend..."

(Menton fails his Danger Sense roll, which is why what happens next takes him by surprise)

(Jocelyn lurches as if she has tripped. Her left hand reaches out to the vault wall and pulls hard on the fire alarm)

 **Menton** : "That was..."

(Jocelyn spins and catches Menton on the side of his head with her briefcase for 1 BODY and 8 STUN. Dropping the briefcase, she takes one, desperate step for the vault door before she screams in agony and lands prone on the floor, blood flowing from her nose)

 **Menton** (eyes returning to normal, looking at Jocelyn's body): "Such a pity. So young, so full of joy and energy..."

(As the fire alarm rings incessantly, he looks over to a lab bench with what looks like the skeleton of a power-armor chestpiece on it)

 **Menton** (walking over to the lab bench): "...and *so* working on exactly what I needed."

(he places his hand on the device, smiles, and presses a button on his belt)

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!)

* * *

(New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Manhattan. That evening)

(Bob enters the lobby of the hospital and looks around for the elevators. Craig notices him while walking through the lobby)

 **Blink** : "Dr. Hawkins?"

 **Starforce** : "Mr. Nguyen!"

 **Blink** : "What are YOU doing here?"

 **Starforce** : "I'm here to see Jocelyn Sher. I understand she was attacked by Menton."

(Craig looks strangely at Bob)

 **Blink** : "Sir, do you mind if we find somewhere to talk in private?"

 **Starforce** : "Not at all."

(Craig puts his hand on Bob's shoulder and starts concentrating. Bob knocks his hand off)

 **Starforce** (angry): "If you have to *teleport* me to achieve privacy, I DO mind." (beat) "Unless you really don't care about me vomiting all over you."

 **Blink** : "Sorry." (points across the lobby) "The coffee shop?"

 **Starforce** : "Much better."

(they find chairs at the coffee shop without further incident)

 **Starforce** : "You're not concerned about me being in New York so frequently? Because I've been here more this month than I have my entire life before then and that disturbs both the Hoosier native and Texas resident in me."

 **Blink** : "No..."

 **Starforce** : "Is this about my relationship with Jocelyn, then?"

 **Blink** : "She already explained it to me."

 **Starforce** : "Good." (beat) "You're not asking for my approval to date her, are you?"

 **Blink** (exasperated): "Sir, it's about UNTIL's new Director-General!"

(tense pause)

 **Starforce** : "So Julie and I aren't the only ones who think something's wrong with Ted, then? Thank God..."

(Craig's shoulders slump with relief)

 **Blink** : "You have *no* idea how relieved I am to hear you say that!"

 **Starforce** : "Likewise."

 **Blink** : "You've known him longer than anyone here in the local superheroic community. Is there anything happening in his life right now that might be causing his..."

(Craig pauses, reluctant to complete the sentence)

 **Starforce** : "Erratic behavior?"

 **Blink** : "I didn't want to go there, but yes."

 **Starforce** : "We first noticed it at a party a couple of weeks ago. Ted prebriefed Julie and I on Operation Honey Pot while we were there, and refused to listen to either of us when we tried to explain valid criticisms of its ops plan."

 **Blink** : "Could it have been happening before that? He'd been retired for 5 months or so after Obama shut down PRIMUS..."

 **Starforce** : "He was *extremely* focused on leading TASK FORCE's hunt of Doctor Destroyer up until the Pyramid of the Sun. Whatever happened to him took place sometime during the week between then and that party."

 **Blink** : "Stray spell at the Pyramid of the Sun?"

 **Starforce** (shakes head): "Julie and I are thinking that it's somebody on his command staff."

 **Blink** (wincing): "An evil psionic at UNTIL HQ? THAT's not good."

 **Starforce** : "Tell me about it." (beat) "Perhaps you could have The Drifter scan the headquarters building and do something about it if my theory's correct?"

 **Blink** : "He's having an out-of-plane experience right now. To do anything mental on that scale, I'd have to call the Sentinels and see if Diadem's available..." (beat, looks at Bob) "Unless YOU might know somebody who could do that?"

 **Starforce** (slow smile): "As a matter of fact, I might. You don't mind if I contact them, do you?"

 **Blink** : "Hell, no!" (gets up from the table) "Keep me posted."

 **Starforce** (nods): "Will do."

 **Blink** : "Oh, and Jocelyn's in room 630."

 **Starforce** : "Thank you."

(Craig leaves. After a moment's thought, Bob takes his smartphone out and taps out a quick text message)

* * *

(Sixth Floor, New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Five minutes later)

(Bob walks out of the elevator and locates the nurse's station)

 **Starforce** : "I'm here to see Jocelyn Sher."

 **Nurse** : "Name?"

 **Starforce** : "Bob Hawkins." (beat, hesitant) "I'm... her biological father."

 **Nurse** : "Room 630."

 **Starforce** : "Thank you."

(he locates which way he should go, and finds Jocelyn's room in short order. The door is ajar. He knocks on the door jamb.)

 **Jocelyn** : "Come in."

(Bob enters slowly)

 **Starforce** : "You know, the only time I've ever seen my children in a hospital before today was in a nursery."

 **Jocelyn** (smiling): "I'd laugh harder, but it hurts too much."

 **Starforce** : "Are you going to be OK?"

 **Jocelyn** : "The doctors stopped the brain bleed that Menton induced in me." (beat) "You wouldn't believe what they can do with medical nanotechnology these days."

 **Starforce** : "Actually, I would. Julie and I are sort of responsible for the last 20 years of progress in that field." (beat) "I'm glad that experience could save my daughter's life."

 **Jocelyn** : "Me, too."

(long pause, held gaze)

 **Jocelyn** : "Did you ever end up in a hospital when you were a superhero?"

 **Starforce** : "Twice."

 **Jocelyn** : "How bad?"

 **Starforce** : "I screwed myself up pretty bad stopping Takofanes back in 1987. I had converted a microwave relay tower west of Indianapolis into a gigantic anti-zombie maser, and I sort of used myself as the primary oscillator to power it." (beat) "That was worth 3 days in a hospital, even with two magi helping the medical staff when they weren't looking." /* "Heart of Darkness" */

 **Jocelyn** : "What was the other one?"

 **Starforce** : "The Sh'Garothayn's personal hospital on Varan in 1992. I used an anti-psionic grenade to make Tlokon drop the throne room ceiling on both of us. That incident is why Julie and I have Varanyi medical nanotech in our bodies." (beat) "And why you're alive right now." /* "The Varanyi Civil War" */

 **Jocelyn** : "Did you have a death wish when you were younger?"

 **Starforce** : "You're not the first person to have wondered that."

(beat)

 **Jocelyn** : "What was it like being a superhero?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "You know, I've been one for so much of my life that I don't know how to answer that! By now, I don't know any other existence..."

(they share a soft laugh)

 **Jocelyn** : "I want to hear more about those days."

 **Starforce** : "Four of us are still alive, but good luck trying to reach Vikon. With him being on the other side of the Galaxy and all that..."

 **Jocelyn** : "Maybe tomorrow. I'm getting tired again."

 **Starforce** : "I cleared my calendar. I'll be here."

 **Jocelyn** (smiling): "Thanks."

(Jocelyn closes her eyes and drifts off to sleep. Bob folds his hands and looks at her, almost like he was in prayer)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[the daughter I never knew I had, and Menton almost took her from me...]]

(there is a knock at the door)

 **Starforce** : "Come in."

(the door opens and Judith Sher enters. She registers Bob's presence in the room)

 **Judith** (gasping as she makes eye contact with Bob): "Ohmigod..."

(Bob slowly stands up)

 **Starforce** : "Judith."

 **Judith** : "What are *you* doing here?"

 **Starforce** : "Comforting my daughter." (beat, accusingly): "Why didn't you ever tell me about Jocelyn?"

 **Judith** (beat): "I didn't want her to become you! She was my only child, Bob!"

 **Starforce** : "She's my child, too, Judith! Don't you think I deserved to know that?"

(tense and awkward pause)

 **Judith** : "How did you find out?"

 **Starforce** : "We first met at a party three weeks ago. We figured it out between the two of us." (beat, makes Deduction roll) "You never told your husband, did you?"

 **Judith** : "He suspected, but never asked me. I think it used to be called in America, 'being a gentlemen'."

 **Starforce** (through gritted teeth): "You could have been honest with him and volunteered the information."

 **Judith** (hissing): "WHY?" (beat) "It's not like you've never made any bad decisions in YOUR life, before..."

 **Starforce** (coldly): "Not when it came to my family." (beat, eye contact with Judith) "My past personal life is another matter altogether."

(for the first time in Bob's life, he sees what anger looks like in Judith's eyes and face)

 **Judith** : "You're just like your father!"

(beat, then Bob walks around her to the door, never breaking eye contact)

 **Starforce** (coldly): "If I was, do you *really* think that we would be HAVING this conversation?"

(Bob leaves. Judith stands for a moment, then collapses into a chair, sobbing)

* * *

(Director-General's office, HQ UNTIL, Manhattan. The next morning)

(Bob has just entered, sipping a Cafe Mocha he acquired down in the coffee shop)

 **Ranger** : "How's Jocelyn doing?"

 **Starforce** : "Better." (smiles) "She's got her father's stubborness, that's for certain."

 **Ranger** : "Judging from the after-action report, she's also got your disregard for personal safety as well."

 **Starforce** : "It may have been a one-time only occurrence. Go easy on her."

 **Ranger** : "Uh, no. The first time we ever met, she charged Kara armed only with a fire extinguisher." /* "The Manifestation" */

(shocked pause)

 **Starforce** : "This was back when Kara's powers first manifested and she was out of control and burning down everything?"

 **Ranger** : "Yep."

 **Starforce** (impressed): "Okay. That sounds like something I'd do..."

 **Ranger** : "By the way, you might want to call before you go over to the hospital today. Jocelyn's mother just got into town last night."

 **Starforce** (darkly): "I know."

 **Ranger** : "Oh." (beat) "That can't have been good for either of you."

 **Starforce** : "On *that* apocalyptic note, you wanted to see me concerning Menton's attack on Angelstone?"

(Ted registers the abrupt change of subject and rides with it)

 **Ranger** : "Yes. Angelstone got done with their Destroyertech inventory post-attack, and we now know that Menton was after..."

(he pulls up an image and expands it in mid-air between himself and Bob)

 **Ranger** (continuing): "THIS."

(Bob looks at it, fascinated, and spins the hologram a couple of times)

 **Starforce** : "Looks like my old Mark II armor, only stripped down to the field generators, forcebeam projectors, and batteries." (zooms the hologram to part of the chest unit) "Piezoelectric sensors, probably to map where the body is in order to get the forcefield geometry right... DAMN, Zerstoiten was imaginative!"

 **Ranger** : "Angelstone gave me a power rating which was equal to your current armor for this."

 **Starforce** (shrinking hologram back to initial size): "Menton was missing his psychokinetic manipulation abilities when he escaped Stronghold in '09, correct?" /* "The Great Stronghold Breakout" */

 **Ranger** : "Yes." (beat) "To answer the next question you were going to ask, this suit would replace them quite nicely."

 **Starforce** : "Oh, bloody hell!"

 **Ranger** : "Yeah."

(awkward pause while Bob spins the hologram some more)

 **Starforce** : "Okay, do you have any GOOD news?"

 **Ranger** : "Angelstone had it torn apart when Menton took it. As is, it's currently useless."

 **Starforce** : "Unless he has someone rebuild it for him."

 **Ranger** : "Ideas on who might?"

 **Starforce** : "Hm. For something *this* sophisticated, there are only 5 people in the world with the required skillset and capabilities who COULD."

 **Ranger** : "Only five?"

 **Starforce** : "Count your blessings. Me, for starters. Dr. Destroyer, but he's in hot-sleep at New Spandau. Sergei, but he's got the resources of his entire nation to protect him. Tetsuronin, but he'd be as crazy-prepared as I'd be..."

(Bob eyes widen in horror. He and Ted make eye contact)

 **Ranger/Starforce** : "Tara Lemick!"

(Ted pulls up a menu list on his phone and selects an entry. The phone rings on speakerphone and is immediately picked up)

 **Voice** : "NYPD Liaison Office, Krafcik."

 **Ranger** : "This is the director-general. I have a flash priority search, all local police reports concerning the whereabouts of Tara Lemick, also known as Lady Blue."

 **Krafcik** : "Timeframe, sir?"

 **Ranger** : "Within the last week."

 **Krafcik** : "Stand by one, sir."

(the sound of keys being hit on a keyboard can be heard, then a pause)

 **Krafcik** : "Sir, I have a report on a party Lady Blue robbed three nights ago on Manhattan's Upper West Side, and a missing persons report for Tara Lemick filed this morning in Brooklyn."

 **Starforce** (whispered): "Oh, CRAP!"

 **Ranger** : "Contact the precinct handling the missing persons report. Assign an agent and a case number, I want a preliminary report in 2 hours."

 **Krafcik** : "Understood, sir."

(call disconnects. Bob and Ted stare at each other, shocked)

 **Starforce** : "The most powerful psionic in the world enslaving one of the most capable power-armor builders in the world? THAT won't end well."

 **Ranger** : "Ya THINK?"

* * *

(outside UNTIL HQ, Manhattan. Three hours later)

(Bob's smartphone buzzes in its belt holster. He whips it out and unlocks it)

 **Starforce** (muttering): "Message from Olivia... oh CRAP!"

(he pulls up his contact list and punches the menu entry for Blink as he starts running for the main entrance)

 **Blink** : "Yes, Dr. Hawkins?"

 **Starforce** : "My psionic contact found something and she's fighting it RIGHT NOW!"

 **Blink** (alarmed): "Where?"

 **Starforce** : "Director-General's office, UNTIL HQ!"

 **Blink** : "I'm on my way."

* * *

(outside the Director-General's office, HQ UNTIL, Manhattan. Two minutes later)

(Bob sprints out of the fire stairs as Blink teleports into the lobby. He skids to a stop as a squadron of UNTIL agents haul a civilian out of Ted's office wearing handcuffs)

 **Blink** (to Bob): "I don't think we needed to hurry."

(Bob sees Olivia behind the squad, gesturing at him)

 **Starforce** (catching his breath): "Come on. I think we're about to get a debrief."

(they wait for the squad to pass, then join Olivia in the office. She shuts the door. Blink's jaw is still dropped in disbelief)

 **Blink** : "Olivia d'Alembert the SUPERMODEL?"

 **Starforce** : "Olivia d'Alembert the *psionic*."

 **Ranger** : "And my wife."

 **Blink** (small voice): "I *knew* that..."

 **Starforce** (to Olivia): "How long have you been here?"

 **Thelambra** : "Since Ted got into work. You almost tripped over my legs entering his office this morning."

 **Starforce** : "Never saw you."

 **Thelambra** : "Neither did the staff officer whom Menton was using. You saw him being escorted away as you arrived."

 **Blink** : "Who WAS he?"

 **Ranger** : "Randall Marcus, a 20-year man. When Menton wasn't using him as a conduit to transmit a mental confusion field or perform psionic reconnaisance throughout HQ, he was a big fan of Francois Rochemont."

 **Starforce** (snorts humorously): "A DOUBLE double-agent?"

 **Blink** : "Rochemont's the former agent who stole the War Armor, correct?"

 **Starforce** : "Yep." (beat, to Ted) "Wait, Rochemont had FANBOYS?"

 **Ranger** : "Mr. Marcus had motive. He spent most of his first year in UNTIL hospitalized after the retired hero he was staking out smashed a fully-loaded VIPER troop transport into the safe house to which he was assigned."

 **Starforce** (muttered): "Twenty years and everyone STILL believes I deliberately targeted that house..." /* "The Legacy of Doctor Destroyer" */

 **Blink** : "How does Menton figure into this?"

 **Thelambra** : "Menton took advantage of the staff turnover post-Leap Day. He's been apparently looking to turn someone here for years."

 **Starforce** : "How did you end up catching him?"

 **Ranger** : "Menton found out that his abduction of Lady Blue last night had caught our attention. He instructed Marcus to erase all evidence we had acquired. Because of the security rating assigned to the case, any deletions required my approval."

 **Thelambra** : "Which required Menton's conduit to be in close proximity to my husband in order to pull off the required mind control." (beat) "He was so busy concentrating on Ted that he never saw me coming."

 **Blink** (amazed): "But... Menton's the most powerful psionic on the planet! You BEAT him?"

 **Thelambra** (smiles): "I never said I took him on psionically."

 **Ranger** (deadpan): "I believe the official report on the incident will state that he hit her fist with his head."

(everyone shares a laugh)

 **Starforce** (more seriously): "Changing the subject, is there anything new about Tara?"

 **Ranger** : "Only that she didn't go without a fight."

 **Starforce** (to Blink): "You guys are headquartered in Brooklyn. Didn't you notice anything?"

 **Blink** : "Superstar responded to a reported battle in Greenpoint last night. A rowhouse had been trashed by energy weapons fire, but there were no casualties and no perps."

 **Starforce** : "Greenpoint. Is that also known as Little Poland? Because that's where she told me she grew up."

 **Blink** : "Yes."

 **Starforce** (to Ted): "So who do we panic about first, boss? Rochemont or Menton?"

 **Ranger** : "Rochemont. His suit's working."

* * *

(Director-General's Office, HQ UNTIL, Manhattan. Three days later)

(Bob, Julie, Olivia, and Craig are attending a briefing)

 **Ranger** : "Thank you all for coming. By this time tomorrow, I expect to have Francois Rochemont and the War Armor he stole back in UNTIL custody. You will be the team that accomplishes this."

 **Blink** : "So where are we heading?"

 **Ranger** : "Rochemont is hiding at a Destroyer facility called Eisenfestung. It's a reserve manufacturing base he maintained in Antarctica."

 **Ladyhawk** (making a football time-out symbol with her hands): "Uh, time-out? Bob and I swore that we'd never return to that continent after what happened back in '85." /* 'The Secret of Arcadia' */

 **Ranger** : "Relax, Julie. We have fully-powered armored personnel carriers this time, not an almost-out-of-fuel Gulfstream."

(Ted passes out iPads to the team)

 **Ranger** (continuing): "More importantly, we have a battle plan that *should* take him down with a minimum of effort. Can we do this, guys?"

(Bob speed-reads through his iPad, then looks up at Ted)

 **Ranger** : "Well?"

 **Starforce** (beat, waves iPad): "Now THIS is the Ted Jameson I took orders from for 30 years! Where the *hell* have you been?"

* * *

(Destroyer facility Eisenfestung, Antarctica. 18 hours later)

_  
"We lead off with a multiple-squad attack with agents to hold Rochemont's attention on what's happening around the entrance..."  
_

(Ladyhawk and Ranger look out the front window of the UNTIL APC as it skims in for a landing. The entire glacier in front of the mountain housing Eisenfestung is alive with blaster fire)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Think he knows we're coming, boss?"

(Ranger grins briefly)

 **Ranger** (into the APC radio): "Ground lead. Status?"

 **Radio** : "LZ is secure, sir. There appears to be no other entrance inside other than the one the Destroids are using."

 **Ranger** (into the APC radio): "As soon as I'm on the ground, we'll solve that problem. Thunderbird lead, status?"

 **Radio** (different voice): "Holding at Fail Safe, two minutes out."

 **Ranger** (into the APC radio): "Copy that, stand by."

* * *

_  
"The special weapons package goes in next to take out the interdiction field. Bob, next time you see Yoshi, thank him for developing and providing it..."  
_

(the armored personnel carrier that is carrying Ranger's assult team has just landed)

 **Ranger** (into the APC radio): "This is Ranger-actual, I am on the ground. Thunderbird lead, GO GO GO!"

(near and above the battlefield, three contrails alter course into a bombing run)

 **Radio** : "This is Thunderbird 3. I have LIDAR in target acquisition. Jamming..."

(multiple missile launches from the mountain streak up into the sky. None come close to the incoming attack)

 **Radio** : "This is Thunderbird lead. Package is away. Repeat, package is away."

 **Ranger** (to Starforce): "How long?"

 **Starforce** (working numbers in his head): "Simple gravity bomb with passive terminal guidance? Ten, fifteen seconds at the most."

(it takes 12 seconds. Lightning suddenly crawls in the sky overhead like a gigantic dome covering both the mountain and the battlefield)

* * *

_  
"Olivia, you'll be our secure commlink once the field's down. You'll also need to locate Rochemont within the facility and give Craig his coordinates..."  
_

**Thelambra** (in everyone's head): ((Interdiction field is DOWN! Scanning...))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((where was that bomb when we needed it at Amchitka or either one of the Destrugas?))

 **Starforce** : ((that's something you can ask Yoshi in August))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((where's Geekfest this year? Tokyo?))

 **Starforce** : ((Dallas. We were in Tokyo last year, remember?))

 **Ranger** : ((guys? Focus))

 **Thelambra** : ((got him. 230 meters inside, 50 meters down. Do you have the coordinates, Mr. Nguyen?))

 **Blink** : ((yeah. Let me see what we've got in the way of open space near there... Okay, got a landing zone))

 **Starforce** (turning away from the team and popping his faceplate open): ((and now comes the part I hate))

 **Blink** : ((porting in 3... 2... 1...)

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

* * *

_  
"Once Craig ports us into the facility, we establish our killbox. Bob, you'll be the bait. Taunt him, moon him, do whatever you have to do to lure him in..."  
_

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

 **Starforce** (throwing up): "(HWAAUGHH!!)DAMMIT!(hachk!)"

 **Ranger** (to Starforce): "When you're ready, Bob. Don't rush it."

(they are in what appears to be a large open space dedicated to light manufacturing. Ranger gets everyone into place while Starforce recovers from being teleported)

 **Starforce** (standing up and securing his faceplate): ((Okay, I'm ready))

 **Thelambra** : ((Around the corner ahead of you and 60 meters to the right. I think he'll be facing away from you))

 **Starforce** : ((I can solve that))

(he flies around the corner and sees the War Armor exactly where Thelambra said it would be. He gets as close as he can and brakes violently to a hover 10 meters away just as Rochemont turns around)

 **Starforce** : "HEY! CHEESE-EATING SURRENDER MONKEY! I FART IN YOUR GENERAL DIRECTION!!"

(Starforce spends the next several seconds desperately flash-stepping to avoid Destroyer-Beams and Synaptic Interference Generator attacks, slowly working Rochemont back toward the corner hiding the killbox)

 **Rochemont** (continuing to miss with ranged attacks): "Stand still and meet your fate, Son of Zerstoiten!"

 **Starforce** (flash-steps): "Why don't you come to me and meet yours, big boy?"

 **Rochemont** : "We both know how that's going to end. Did you learn NOTHING from my attack last week?"

 **Starforce** (flash-steps): "Only that you're a pompous windbag who's a complete waste of oxygen. (flash-steps again) "Is THIS the best you can do?"

 **Rochemont** : "If the best YOU can do is insult me, I'm a better man than you. Again."

(Starforce has finally reached the corner. He pauses for a split-second)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[time to push the detonator]] (external audio to Rochemont) "My biological father was a better man than YOU'LL ever be."

(Rochemont snaps. Screaming with rage, he pushes his flight and charges Starforce, who retreats around the corner)

* * *

_  
"When Rochemont enters the killbox, I'll bring his forcewall down and kick him around a bit..."  
_

(Starforce flies around the corner with Rochemont in VERY hot pursuit)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[gotta slow him down for Ranger's part of the plan]]

(Setting his secondary weapons array to 'Kinetic Damper', Starforce hits Rochemont, stopping him in mid-air as if he ran into a wall. Rochemont collapses to the ground but takes no damage)

(With a BOOM, Ranger accelerates into the Speed Zone, takes down Rochemont's forcewall with his first action phase, then inflicts 144 more STUN of damage before having to drop back down to normal speed. Rochemont is CON-stunned)

* * *

_  
As soon as I drop back down to normal speed, Bob will EMP his psionic jammer...  
_

(Ranger blurs and reappears. Starforce already has his secondary weapons array reset to EMP cannon mode and is ready)

(Starforce fires and hits the stunned Rochemont. St. Elmo's fire crawls over the War Armor. Starforce's Detect Energy shows him that Rochemont's psionic jammer is now useless)

 **Starforce** (to Blink): ((It's done! Craig, GO!))

* * *

_  
"Craig, you and Julie will port in right behind Rochemont after that. Julie, attach the shuriken and be obvious about it. Duplicate *exactly* what you did at the Pyramid of the Sun if you can..."  
_

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(as Rochemont struggles to his feet, Blink and Ladyhawk appear next to him. Ladyhawk slams a shuriken audibly onto the front of the War Armor)

 **Ladyhawk** (vaulting and somersaulting away): "It's on him, Bob!"

* * *

_  
"Olivia, you're the key to pulling this off. This is what Bob was seeing in his battlesuit's VR environment right after Julie accidentally hit him with the Destreum-Killer last week. Make Rochemont think he's seeing THAT happen to his own suit once the shuriken's attached..."  
_

(a halo of power glows around both Thelambra's head and the War Armor's helmet as she uses her mental illusion power on him)

(inside the helmet, Rochemont looks at the spiking power levels and increasing failures being reported by the armor)

/* In terms of game mechanics, Thelambra only requires EGO+10 to make the mental illusion of a cascade total armor malfunction believable, since Rochemont is aware that Bob has a superweapon that's proof against his father's armors and *just* *now* saw Julie replicate exactly what she did to attach that superweapon to Doctor Destroyer last month */

 **Rochemont** : "No... NO! IT CANNOT END LIKE THIS!!"

* * *

_  
"...and then all we have to do is wait for him to bail out of his suit."  
_

(the War Armor suddenly shatters into high-tech debris, leaving Rochemont standing in his underwear. Starforce flash-steps over and picks him up by his undershirt)

 **Starforce** (coldly): "Game over, man. We win."

(the team gathers around Rochemont, and Blink cuffs him. Bob stops by the remains of the War Armor long enough to pull the shuriken off of them and hand it to Julie)

 **Ladyhawk** (putting the shuriken back into her utility belt): "Shina will be glad to have this back. She always liked it."

 **Rochemont** (sobbing in disbelief): "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?"

 **Starforce** (evil grin): "Nothing. You, however, pwned *yourself* because of a REFRIGERATOR MAGNET!"

 **Ladyhawk** (to Rochemont, walking away arm-in-arm with Starforce): "Have a nice day."

 **Thelambra** (to Ranger): "That was fun! WHY did we have to stop being superheroes?"

 **Ranger** (holding Thelambra): "Because we were going to start a family, remember?"

 **Thelambra** (smiles): "Not right at this moment, I hope. We Empyreans aren't so advanced that we're beyond... privacy... on certain occasions."

(Blink joins Bob and Julie)

 **Blink** : "THAT has to be the *craziest* thing I've ever seen anyone do in a superbattle! Tricking a villain into bailing out of an invincible suit of powered armor with only a refrigerator magnet and a mental illusion?"

 **Starforce** (still smiling): "It's not the craziest thing *we've* ever done. But it's close."

 **Blink** : "What is?"

 **Ladyhawk** (beat, smiles): "Bob and I once saved the Galaxy by weaponizing sex." /* 'The Varanyi Civil War' */

(Blink's jaw drops open)

 **Starforce** (cheerfully demented): "Beat that."

* * *

**EPILOGUE** : One month later...

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II, Lakewood Village, TX. Mid-afternoon) 

(Bob is in his battlesuit and on the back patio, roof and walls around the pool retracted. His attention is directed toward Lake Lewisville, where a shooting star cavorts wildly over the water)

(The shooting star streaks over land again and brakes violently to a hover over the pool. We see it's Jocelyn, wearing an unreasonable facsimile of the Mark II battlesuit Bob once wore in the mid-1980's. She screams out of sheer joy)

 **Jocelyn** (drifting over to Starforce): "Oh my God! That was SO fun!!"

 **Starforce** (popping his faceplate open): "Your control algorithms?"

 **Jocelyn** : "Learning like a charm. I could feel the suit become easier to use the longer I was using it."

 **Starforce** (smiles): "Good." (beat) "When did you realize that ProStar's standard tactical armor could be upgraded to something more superheroic?"

 **Jocelyn** : "The War Armor you guys recovered last month used Destreum nanoweave as a grid to channel the forcefield providing physical augmentation. When I realized it had the same composition as ProStar's best-selling product, I tried passing a forcefield through a suit of tactical armor to see what would happen." (beat) "Who knew building a forcefield-based battlesuit would be so EASY?"

 **Starforce** : "You haven't told anyone else, have you?"

 **Jocelyn** : "No." (beat, excited) "Can we get the forcebeams calibrated, now?"

 **Starforce** : "We can do that after supper. By tradition, I set the firing range up in the Garage." /* 'Piranharecho' */

 **Jocelyn** : "Okay."

(Jocelyn lands, and they start walking around the pool)

 **Jocelyn** : "You said you were going to place some calls to the Justice Squadron and the Sentinels to see if there was an established team I could join. Any progress?"

 **Starforce** : "I talked with Whit earlier today, before you arrived."

 **Jocelyn** : "Whit?"

 **Starforce** : "Sorry. Diamond, originally of the Fabulous Five, currently of the Sentinels."

 **Jocelyn** (amazed): "Oh!"

 **Starforce** : "The Sentinels are in need of a tech specialist, if you're interested."

 **Jocelyn** : "What about my lack of combat experience?"

 **Starforce** : "Whit will solve THAT in short order. He's been the next-best thing to a drill sergeant for three generations of superheroes."

(Starforce sees the uncertain expression on Jocelyn's face. He stops and puts his hands on her shoulders)

 **Starforce** : "I won't sugar-coat it. You're going to hate his guts for the first two to three months. Stay with it, though, and there will come battles in your life where you will *thank* him for being a Drill Sergeant Nasty to you."

 **Jocelyn** : "Okay." 

(beat, then they start walking toward the house again) 

**Jocelyn** (continuing): "You know I'm going to need a name once I become a superhero. Any ideas?"

(Starforce thinks for a moment, then smiles)

 **Starforce** : "I believe the name 'Starforce' is currently available."

(Jocelyn breaks into a wide grin)

* * *

(A high-tech medical lab filled with what obviously is Destroyertech)

(Tara Lemick is up on an exam table, knees gathered in front of her, and rocking. She has a crazed expression to her eyes, not helped by Menton entering)

 **Menton** : "I bring you good news, my dear."

 **Lady Blue** : "I'm not your dear, you bastard. What have you done to me?"

 **Menton** : "You refer to the repeated episodes of vomiting you have been experiencing the past two days?"

 **Lady Blue** (angry and crying): "No, I'm referring to all the times you've made me think you're Bob Hawkins and come into my cell to rape me!"

 **Menton** : "Funny you should mention that. It turns out you're suffering from nothing more complicated than morning sickness."

(Tara's eyes open wide in shock)

 **Menton** : "Who knew when I kidnapped you to rebuild Zerstoiten's armor that you would provide for me in ways exceeding even my wildest expectations?"

 **Lady Blue** : "I'm... having... your baby?"

 **Menton** : "When I conquer the world with the aid of your Force Armor, I will do so with an heir already provided to me." (beat, evil smile) "By you."

 **Lady Blue** (sobbing): "No..."

(Menton's eyes glow. Tara screams and convulses on the exam table)

 **Menton** : "Now get back to work, slave."

* * *

(fin)


End file.
